The Surrey Senior Cup draw gave us a kinder opener this season than last year's Woking with a trip to Combined Counties League Sheerwater. The timing was not good for us with a match against table toppers Eastbourne United coming up on Saturday where a win would close the gap and leave us still two games in hand. With that in mind it was a changed team that kicked off against a team with two former Lingers, Jake Horn and Tyrone Magala-Bryan, in their ranks.

The first attempt on goal came in the opening minute as Kristian Belousas and Yusuf McGregor linked up to cross from right to left for Reuel Powell-Downey to shoot wide of the left post. With seven minutes played, the ball was worked across the pitch to Stephen Hodge on the left. He took the ball forward a few yards and fired a shot that the keeper needed to tip over the bar. A minute later Powell-Downey slid the ball forward for McGregor to take forward into the box only for a great tackle by Jake Horn to stop him. A first chance for Sheerwater came on 12mins as an overhit cross from the right was retrieved on the left and turned into a shot wide of the right post. Five minutes later the home side were into the box on the left forcing a save by the post by Sang Baek. The resulting corner was delivered into the centre of the box for a free header and the opening goal.

From the restart Belousas had a shot at goal that the keeper was far enough back to gather just under the bar. On 25mins Sheerwater needed their keeper to tip a Reon Donkor shot from outside the box over the bar. A couple of minutes later Belousas saw a shot deflected over the bar. With just under ten minutes of the half remaining, Sheerwater worked space for a shot from the right that went wide of the left post. On 38mins a Belousas free kick from the left ended with a shot from McGregor that was saved. Inside the last five minutes and from a great cross by Tyrone Gondoh on the right, Belousas headed wide and high of the right post. Not a lot between the sides as it was 1-0 to Sheerwater at the break.

A change at half time as Oliver Thompson replaced McGregor. A fast start from the Lingers as the hosts were under pressure from the start as a couple of minutes in, Kwesi Ntim had a shot that went wide. A minute later the keeper kept them in the lead with a good save. On 51mins a cross from Belousas on the right was headed over by Ntim. A second change on 55mins as Taurean McDonald-Roberts replaced Kai Nokoe. On 57mins a free kick from Belousas on the right was met by Thompson with a header and the scores were level. On the hour while still on top in the game, a sharp cross from Donkor from the right saw Powell-Downey put the ball wide of the right post. On 64mins Alex Kpakpe had a shot from the D but it was not an easy ball to take as he was off balance so the shot went wide.

On 68mins Sheerwater had a clear break on goal but were thwarted by a great save by Baek. Although they did have the ball in the net in the follow up the offside flag was up. A change in defence as William English was replaced by Guyni Nganga. With just over ten minutes to go, Donkor set Powell-Downey away on the right for a cross that was gathered by the keeper. On 84mins Powell-Downey was replaced by Gabriel Odunaike. With three minutes of normal time left and a penalty shoot-out looming, Sheerwater got onto a loose ball and riding challenges, were able to score their second goal. A minute later they nearly caught us again but the shot from the left was into the side netting. Into added time and a free kick from Belousas was met by Hodge but he could not keep the ball down and the shot went over. With four minutes played, McDonald-Roberts had a shot from outside that was just wide of the right post.

A tight game that the home side just shaded while we had an eye on the weekend. A shame to see our winning run come to an end but we are still in the FA Vase and Peter Bentley Cup where we will meet teams at our own level as opposed to the Surrey Senior Cup where we know life is much harder with the likes of Woking and Dorking Wanderers lurking.